Altar
An altar is a sacred place where tools are placed during a Witches ritual and magic. Traditionally, the altar stands in the centre of the circle of energy raised by the participant(s) in the ritual. It may be a table or other object with a flat surface, such as an old chest. It can be square or round, according to preference. Witches may decorate the altar with coloured scarves or other material corresponding with the season or the particular purpose of the ritual. Ideally, the altar is made of wood, such as oak, which is considered to hold significant power, or willow, which is considered sacred to the goddess. However, it can really be made of any material, as any physical object charged with magical energy will contribute to power to the ritual work being enacted. Witches performing outdoor rituals may use an old tree stump, large stone, or other natural objects for an altar, or may use fire in place of the altar, placing the ritual tools elsewhere in the charged space. While the altar is usually set up prior to the ritual and taken down afterwards, some Witches maintain permanent altars in their homes. These may double as shrines to the Goddess and God and can be a place to store the Witch’s magical tools. The tools are deliberately placed in specific patterns on the altar, with intentional regard to the elements and the four directions. For example, tools and symbols associated with the element of Earth may be placed in the North section of the altar, while those associated with water will be placed to the East. The traditional Wiccan practice also often devotes the left side of the altar to representations of the goddess, while the right side represents the God. While many Witches closely follow established patterns for setting up the altar, others will experiment and use patterns that resonate with their personal relationship with their deities and corresponding tools and symbols. An Elevated place where ceremonies are conducted and where offerings are made to a deity or deities. The altar has ancient associations with the Goddess and Mother Earth, who rule the wheel of birthdeath-rebirth. In Wicca and Paganism, the altar is placed within a magic circle. It usually faces either east or north, depending on the tradition and practices of the coven. There are no set rules in the Craft for the construction of the altar. If the ceremonies take place out of doors, rocks or tree stumps may be used. Indoors, the altar may be a table, a wooden box or a board placed on boxes or bricks. Whatever the form or materials, the altar should not contain conductive metals such as iron or steel, since they could interfere with the energy of the ritual tools made of iron or steel. Since many covens meet in homes or apartments where space is at a premium, the altar may not be permanent but erected only during ceremonies. The objects of ritual and worship placed on the altar vary, depending upon the practices of the coven and the rituals to be performed. They may include an athame (a black-handled knife that is the Witch’s primary magical tool), a white-handled knife, a sword, a wand, candles, a cup or goblet of wine, anointing oils, dishes for Salt and water, a necklace without beginning or end, a censer, bells, scourges, dishes for offering food and drink to the deities and images of the deities, such as figurines, wax statues or drawings. If a broom and cauldron are needed in rituals, they are placed on either side of the altar. The altar is never used for blood sacrifice, which is prohibited in Wicca and Paganism. In the Great Rite, which is actual or symbolic ritual sex, the body of the high priestess is considered an altar of the sacred forces of life, which echoes back to the ancient connection of altar to the Mother Goddess. During the witch hunts, it was believed that at witches’ sabbats, the woman who was high sorceress or high priestess served as both living altar and sacrifice to the Devil. “On her loins a demon performed Mass, pronounced the Credo, deposited the offertory of the faithful,” observes historian Jules Michelet in Satanism and Witchcraft. According to Michelet, the eucharist at these sabbats consisted of a cake baked upon the altar of the woman: “It was her life, her death, they ate. The morsel was impregnated already with the savour of her burning flesh.” These accounts of sabbats were extracted under torture and were fiction to satisfy inquisitors. About This is also called the spell table or work table, but I like the sound of “altar,” which is far less awkward, even though it gives a religious association to magic which may not always be deserved. A great deal of magic does not need the presence of an altar, but certain rites do. When performed at home, the altar is the place where spells are cast. It can also be used as a work table where herbs are enchanted, sachets composed, and where, in general, all magical work is done. An altar may be any flat surface on which you can place candles, an incense burner, herbs, and any other materials needed for a spell. It can be the top of a coffee table or dresser, or a section of the floor. Wherever you can find a place is sufficient. Some people who wish to acknowledge their religious beliefs place symbols of their faith on the altar. Statues and holy books are common, but any objects with which you feel comfortable may be placed on the altar, such as lucky charms, fossils, rocks, shells, and so on. Such natural objects may actually empower your magic further. Outdoor altars aren’t always necessary; when they are necessary, they usually consist of a cleared section of ground, a flat rock, or a tree stump, but ingenuity can aid the Magician here. The altar is simply a place to perform magic, and is limited only by your imagination. Information Source A Solitary Pagan